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Crews, Minerva Keitt (Mrs. Berry)

3/14/1913

MINERVA KEITT (Mrs. Berry) CREWS 1844 - March 14, 1913
Minerva Caroline Keitt, wife of Rev. B. ‘I’. Crews of the Louisiana Conference, was born in South Carolina 67 years ago, and died in Shreveport, La., March 4, 1913, at 3 o’clock in the morning. Her family being one of the oldest of her state, of ex-emplary piety, and before the war having had considerable wealth, she was born into an environment of refinement, taught an orthodox faith, nurtured in unselfish Christian service, and in early life was converted and joined the Methodist Church, and ever after lived an humble life of faith and love. Her husband says of her: “The influence of her parents and the church of her childhood was such as to develop in her a char-acter that she never departed from. She never saw a dance nor attended a circus— never wanted to. She was taught that both were wrong and demoralizing.” In 1866, when she was just 21 years of age, she was married to Rev. B. T. Crews, and when in 1878 he joined the itinerant ministry, she too put her heart into the work that he had espoused and made him a faithful and consecrated helper in his high calling, ever seeing that his home -was comfortable and a fit place for rest and meditation. She left four daughters, one son, and five grand children, who together with her husband and one daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law, were present when she passed away. After the family, alone in the parlor, had knelt around “the beautiful house she had vacated” and had given it back to him from whom it, with the life it had housed, had come, Rev. H. J. Harp, assisted by Rev. G. E. Cameron, conducted the funeral service in the home, and laid the body to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery in Shreveport. Both as the pastor’s wife in our home to n at Mansfield and when itinerating and in various places it has been our good privilege to be guest in Sister Crew’s home, and she was ever the same humble, patient, kind, and obliging friend and neighbor, like the Master, who “when he knew that be was come from God and went to God,” began to wash his disciple’s feet, she was Only serving and giving the “cup of cold water in the name of a disciple.” Her picture is found in 1 Timothy 5:10 and in Proverbs 31:10-31. She was “well reported of for good works, brought up children, lodged strangers, washed the saints’ feet, relieved the afflicted, diligently followed every good work, the heart of her husband safely trusted in her, she worked willingly with her hands, she brought her food from afar, she gave meat to her household, she girded her arms with strength, her candle went not out by night, she reached forth her hands to the needy, strength and honor were her clothing, in her tongue was the law of kindness, she looked well to the ways of her household, her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a faithful friend, and a child of God. Until the graves give up their dead we bid thee farewell!
Source: Journal Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1913, page 63, by P.O. Lowrey.

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